Chart of the Day: Additions to US Power Plant Capacity

Basically it shows how “residential solar” (i.e. panels on houses) has become a meaningful mix in the new additions to the US energy grid. It’s something to think about when thinking about homes, or energy, or cities, or the future.

Hey Bill. Couple of comments. First – coal will likely all-but-disappear as a new generation source due to EPA rules. Wind will likely ramp up considerably – there was a bit of a lull that year due to the expiring production tax credit. In a typical year (going forward), wind and natural gas should be the main things that get built, with solar in third place (but expanding over time solar pricing continues its relentless decline). Many gigawats of wind will be build in the Midwest in coming years.